More signatories to 2025 UK industry waste pledge

Meat supplier ABP Food Group and bakery business Hovis are among the latest organisations to sign up to to cut food and drink waste in the country by a fifth by 2025.

The UK and Irish arm of hotel group Accor and industry body The Federation of Bakers are also part of the group of businesses that have joined the pledge, first announced in 2016 and which is the latest iteration of The Courtauld Commitment, a programme to reduce waste first launched in 2005.

The target is one of three under the Courtauld 2025 banner. Suppliers, which also include Associated British Foods, Arla Foods and Premier Foods plc, also pledged to cut the "greenhouse gas intensity" of food and drink consumed in the UK by 20% by 2025. A third goal was also made for "a reduction in impact associated with water use in the supply chain", although the signatories have yet to agree on a specific metric for the target.

Each phase of The Courtauld Commitment has been overseen by WRAP, a UK charity that focuses on promoting the reduction of waste and the efficient use of resources.

The new signatories were announced alongside the publication of a review of the efforts undertaken so far to meet the Courtauld 2025 pledges.

Steve Creed, director of business programmes at WRAP, said: "This first year has been about creating sector-wide collaboration and developing networks for change, and I'm very pleased with how signatories have responded.

"In just one year, for example, we've set up ten working groups covering a range of key issues from tackling the largest food waste categories, to driving consumer behavioural change. The meat and livestock group includes producer bodies, processors, retailers, hospitality and foodservice.

"The group will spend 2018 testing on-farm resource-efficiency measures and exploring ways to tackle consumer food waste, for example through reducing confusion around freezing. Work is also underway in Wales mapping red meat products and by-products from abattoirs that will give new insight into opportunities to improve efficiency, and maximise carcase use. And that's just one working group."

P.S: If you liked this article, you might enjoy the just-food newsletter.
Receive our latest content delivered right to your inbox.